This invention relates in general to a cleaning composition, and more particularly relates to a composition useful for cleaning hard surfaces, such as a glass surface, wherein the composition leaves relatively no residue upon the hard surface when applied.
Aqueous cleaning compositions of the type comprising a combined alcohol and glycol solvent system, a surface active agent, and ammonia have proven particularly useful for cleaning glass or other similar hard surfaces. Various improvements in the cleaning effectiveness of these compositions have been suggested over the years. For example a heavy duty cleaning composition is provided by incorporating a detergent such as an alkali metal polyphosphate (U.S. Pat. No. 3,464,735 to Stonebreaker, et al.) or a polyacrylic resin (U.S. Pat. No. 4,606,842 to Keyes, et al.) into the aqueous composition. For lighter cleaning, sulfonated fatty alcohols in the form of the alkali metal salts thereof, such as sodium laurel sulfate, have typically been utilized as surfactants in the aqueous cleaning compositions. Aside from acting as wetting agents, the sulfonate surfactants impart detergency characteristics for improved cleaning capacity.
As a result of these improvements, cleaning compositions are now available that can remove substantial amounts of heavy duty dirt and grease deposits. However, for general cleaning purposes the presence of streaks and spots left on the surface after being cleaned significantly detracts from its final overall appearance. It is known that the cleaning compositions heretofore mentioned leave a dry residue on the substrate if applied and allowed to remain on the glass or other hard surface for some period of time. Even though the surface to be cleaned is generally wiped following the application of a cleaning composition, it has proven difficult to wipe the surface clean so that all of the composition is removed. Consequently, the presence of the cleaning composition and corresponding residue on the glass or other similar hard surface causes unacceptable streaking and spotting.
Therefore, it is a primary objective of the present invention to provide a cleaning composition useful for cleaning hard surfaces, such as glass, that leaves relatively no residue upon the surface following application.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a cleaning composition useful for cleaning hard surfaces, such as glass, that can be removed quickly without excessive wiping.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a cleaning composition having sufficient wettability and foaming action to effectively clean the entire hard surface on which it is applied.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a method for cleaning hard surfaces such as glass wherein the hard surface is effectively cleaned and relatively no residue, streaks or spots appear on the surface.
The inventors have discovered that a very effective composition for cleaning hard surfaces such as glass is provided by an aqueous mixture of a lower alcohol, a glycol ether, ammonia and a surfactant, wherein the surfactant is a fluorosurfactant present in amounts equal to or less than about 40 parts per million (by weight) and preferably equal to or less than about 30 parts per million (by weight), relative to the total composition. Prior compositions generally include much higher amounts of surfactant as it was thought that a relatively high concentration of surfactant was necessary to achieve adequate cleaning. Following the teachings of the prior art, if additional "cleaning power" was desired, the amount of surfactant was increased, rather than decreased, as contemplated by the percent invention.